Satan wanted God to abandon earth and give up on humans forever. Satan worked to keep humanity from knowing any truth about God. And after all this time, his work-plan to control earth seemed almost completely successful.

The dark shadow Satan had cast over the world grew deeper and deeper, Satan had turned people away from God. But his greatest victory was in perverting the religion of God’s people in Israel.

The idea that humans can save themselves by their own works is at the foundation of every evil religion. Now, through Satan’s efforts, it was the center of the Jewish religion as well. The Jews had robbed God of His glory and cheated the world with a counterfeit gospel. By refusing to surrender to God to help save the world, instead, they became agents of Satan to destroy it.

The very same people God had called to be the source of truth were doing Satan’s work. By distorting the people’s understanding of God, they made the world see God as a heartless tyrant.